Method, system, and device for verifying authorized issuance of a rights expression

1. A computer-implemented method executed by one or more computing devices for verifying a rights expression chain which is represented by digital data, the method comprising: determining, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, whether a rights expression in the rights expression chain is associated with a statement of trusted issuance, the statement being distinguishable from the rights expression chain; determining, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, whether information included in the statement of trusted issuance corresponds to a trust root; determining, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, whether issuance of the statement of trusted issuance was authorized at the time the statement of trusted issuance was issued; and verifying, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, that performing a protected operation is allowed without tracing the rights expression chain to verify the trust root, based at least in part on the rights expression being a rights expression associated with a statement of trusted issuance, the statement being distinguishable from the right expression chain, the information included in the statement of trusted issuance corresponding to a trust root, and the issuance of the statement of trusted issuance being authorized at the time the statement of trusted issuance was issued, otherwise, verifying, by at least one of the one or more computing devices, that performing a protected operation is allowed by tracing the rights expression chain to verify the trust root.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the statement of trusted issuance specifies an entity associated therewith, and further comprising determining whether the entity associated with the statement of trusted issuance is a trusted entity.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the statement of trusted issuance specifies a grant associated therewith, and further comprising determining whether the grant associated with the statement of trusted issuance is a trusted grant.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the statement of trusted issuance specifies a chain-ancestor rights expression associated therewith, and further comprising determining whether the issuance of the chain-ancestor rights expression associated with the statement of trusted issuance is authorized.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein a single entity issued the statement of trusted issuance and the rights expression associated with the statement of trusted issuance.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rights expression associated with the statement of trusted issuance comprises at least one of a proof of entitlement to a digital work, a proof of entitlement to a service, a proof of entitlement to a resource, a proof of transaction, a proof of purchase, a proof of certification, a proof of identity, a proof of approval, a statement of fact, a statement or expression of business intent, a statement or expression of a business contract, or a statement or expression of rules or policies.

7. An apparatus for verifying a rights expression chain which is represented by digital data, the apparatus comprising: one or more processors; and one or more memories operatively coupled to at least one of the one or more processors and having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause at least one of the one or more processors to: determine whether a rights expression in the rights expression chain is associated with a statement of trusted issuance, the statement being distinguishable from the rights expression chain; determine whether information included in the statement of trusted issuance corresponds to a trust root; determine whether issuance of the statement of trusted issuance was authorized at the time the statement of trusted issuance was issued; and verify that performing a protected operation is allowed without tracing the rights expression chain to verify the trust root, based at least in part on the rights expression being a rights expression associated with a statement of trusted issuance, the statement being distinguishable from the right expression chain, the information included in the statement of trusted issuance corresponding to a trust root, and the issuance of the statement of trusted issuance being authorized at the time the statement of trusted issuance was issued, otherwise, verify that performing a protected operation is allowed by tracing the rights expression chain to verify the trust root.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the statement of trusted issuance specifies an entity associated therewith, and wherein at least one of the one or more memories has further instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause at least one of the one or more processors to determine whether the entity associated with the statement of trusted issuance is a trusted entity.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the statement of trusted issuance specifies a grant associated therewith, and wherein at least one of the one or more memories has further instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause at least one of the one or more processors to determine whether the grant associated with the statement of trusted issuance is a trusted grant.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the statement of trusted issuance specifies a chain-ancestor rights expression associated therewith, and wherein at least one of the one or more memories has further instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause at least one of the one or more processors to determine whether the issuance of the chain-ancestor rights expression associated with the statement of trusted issuance is authorized.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein a single entity issued the statement of trusted issuance and the rights expression associated with the statement of trusted issuance.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the rights expression associated with the statement of trusted issuance comprises at least one of a proof of entitlement to a digital work, a proof of entitlement to a service, a proof of entitlement to a resource, a proof of transaction, a proof of purchase, a proof of certification, a proof of identity, a proof of approval, a statement of fact, a statement or expression of business intent, a statement or expression of a business contract, or a statement or expression of rules or policies.

13. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause at least one of the one or more computing devices to: determine whether a rights expression in the rights expression chain is associated with a statement of trusted issuance, the statement being distinguishable from the rights expression chain; determine whether information included in the statement of trusted issuance corresponds to a trust root; determine whether issuance of the statement of trusted issuance was authorized at the time the statement of trusted issuance was issued; and verify that performing a protected operation is allowed without tracing the rights expression chain to verify the trust root, based at least in part on the rights expression being a rights expression associated with a statement of trusted issuance, the statement being distinguishable from the right expression chain, the information included in the statement of trusted issuance corresponding to a trust root, and the issuance of the statement of trusted issuance being authorized at the time the statement of trusted issuance was issued, otherwise, verify that performing a protected operation is allowed by tracing the rights expression chain to verify the trust root.

14. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the statement of trusted issuance specifies an entity associated therewith, and storing further instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause at least one of the one or more computing devices to determine whether the entity associated with the statement of trusted issuance is a trusted entity.

15. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the statement of trusted issuance specifies a grant associated therewith, and storing further instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause at least one of the one or more computing devices to determine whether the grant associated with the statement of trusted issuance is a trusted grant.

16. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the statement of trusted issuance specifies a chain-ancestor rights expression associated therewith, and wherein storing further instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause at least one of the one or more computing devices to determine whether the issuance of the chain-ancestor rights expression associated with the statement of trusted issuance is authorized.

17. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein a single entity issued the statement of trusted issuance and the rights expression associated with the statement of trusted issuance.

18. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the rights expression associated with the statement of trusted issuance comprises at least one of a proof of entitlement to a digital work, a proof of entitlement to a service, a proof of entitlement to a resource, a proof of transaction, a proof of purchase, a proof of certification, a proof of identity, a proof of approval, a statement of fact, a statement or expression of business intent, a statement or expression of a business contract, or a statement or expression of rules or policies.